Sync will not accept username/password

avon20@2
Report ID 1967255500

I recently started using Zotero. I would like to use the additional citation styles in the repository, in particular Biological Conservation, however when I download them and attempt to use them in Word I get an error message: "Zotero experienced an error updating your document. suffix is undefined".

Going by what I can find in forums this is apparently because I had not synced with the Zotero server.

I set up an account and attempted to sync when I got the following error message: "Invalid username or password. The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password. Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly in the Zoteri sync preferences".

I am sure I have entered the correct username and password as they are the same username and password needed for this forum.

How do I correct this error so that I can use the additional styles in the citation style repository?
  • adamsmith
    the two errors are most likely unrelated, not sure where on the forum you got the idea that they are connected.
    For the first problem, which Zotero version are you using? Can you switch to other, pre-installed styles? Can you install and use the style called "Elsevier's Harvard" (which is identical to biol. conserv.)

    For the second issue I'd be concerned about the @ in your user name, maybe try changing that - it shouldn't cause problems but might.
  • dstillman
    Usernames can't be changed, but the '@' may be the issue. We'll look into it.
  • avon20@2
    Hi,

    Thanks for your reply. I can install and use Elsevier's Harvard now without a problem. I'll change my username and see if I can sync then. I am using Zotero 2.1.6. Not sure why the other style wouldn't work but the Elsevier's Harvard will do fine.

    Thank you.
  • avon20@2
    Ah ok, I'll keep an eye on the forum and see if the @ is the problem and how to change it.
  • adamsmith
    Dan - could avon20's problem indicate an issue with dependent styles? I don't currently have 2.1.6 set up with a word processor plugin, but Biological Conservation is a dependent style of Elsevier's Harvard - maybe something to do with the new repo?
  • dstillman
    avon20@2: Restart Firefox, reproduce that word processor error again, and provide another Report ID.

    Also, though it's certainly unrelated, check your username and password in the Sync pane of the Zotero preferences and try syncing again to make sure you're still getting the login error.
  • Mark Singleton
    Problem numbers 842617979 and 1731557739

    I am having the same problem. At first I couldn't even register to ask a question here (a message told me my email was already taken).

    Now, when I synch, I get the message:

    INVALID USERNAME OR PASSWORD
    The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password. Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly in the Zotero sync preferences.

    I'm new to Zotero, and have it installed on two machines. I've reset the password twice, and I'm absolutely sure I'm putting in the correct one. I've followed the advice above, but nothing seems to work. Any ideas?
  • Mark Singleton
    Problem resolved after reboot. Apologies.
  • ShinJoung Yeo
    I also get the following message:

    The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password. Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly in the Zotero sync preferences.

    I'm sure that I'm putting the correct username and password.
  • dstillman
    edited September 22, 2011
    ShinJoung Yeo: Restart Firefox and/or your computer, re-enter your username/password, and try again.
  • gofaster187
    same error here:

    The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password. Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly

    i use chrome.
  • dstillman
    Same advice as above.
  • gofaster187
    had to change my password on both standalone and website, after reboot/restart, for syncing to work.
  • digitig
    I'm getting "The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password" error too, on a new Windows 8.1 installation, when I try to get Zotero Standalone or the Firefox plugin to sync.

    I've reset my password (twice), and I'm entering the password by dragging-and-dropping from the KeePass password manager, so I'm confident I'm entering the same password in all places. I've rebooted the computer and restarted Zotero Standalone, but no change -- I can't synchronise with the server.

    I can log on with the same password at https://www.zotero.org/ no problems.

    Help!
  • adamsmith
    is this a keePass auto-generated password? It's at least conceivable that Zotero's sync is choking on a weird character or combination of characters (though of course it shouldn't).
  • dstillman
    digitig: Can you provide a Debug ID for a sync attempt that's failing?
  • digitig
    Adam: yes, it looks as if that was it. I've changed to a simpler password, and that one is working ok. So, since I'm not using it any more, here's the KeePass-generated password that Zotero accepted and that let me into my account but which sync settings didn't recognise:

    M9M9BwqqedTletLsbWrg

    Dan: too late; I've changed password and the new one works in all locations.
  • dstillman
    There's no need to use a simpler password. I'm pretty sure if you set another password of that length it would work perfectly fine (and if not, we'd want to know). It's more likely that this was some sort of caching issue than anything to do with the specific password.
  • jpiaskowski
    Hi, I'm also having trouble getting the standalone version of Zotero to sync. I receive an error message of "The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password." I've sent my error log to the Zotero developers (Report ID 926735138).

    I changed my password recently and now log-on with a password manager. That works fine for the Zotero website (and these forums) but it is not working for the standalone software - using cut-and-pasting or manual typing the long unwieldy password. I have also rebooted Zotero several times (and the whole computer). Any ideas on how to resolve this?
  • dstillman
    Responded here: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/49595/sync-server-did-not-accept-your-username-and-password/#Item_9
  • jpiaskowski
    Thanks.
  • Lani J
    When I try to sync, and go through Preferences to sync, the OK button at the bottom does no show up even after I enter my username and Password. I'm therefore unable to complete the syncing process.

    Following that, every time I open zotero, I get the same message "INVALID USERNAME OR PASSWORD
    The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password. Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly in the Zotero sync preferences.

    Does any one have a clue what's going on, please?
  • adamsmith
    which OS? Not all versions of Zotero have an "OK" button in the preferences (e.g. on Linux it's just "Close")
  • dstillman
    On macOS there's no button — prefs are just saved. Clear the username and password fields completely, restart Zotero for good measure, and enter them again, using the same username and password you use to log in here.
  • Lani J
    Thanks a ton! It worked!
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